Viral video reimagining Fresh Prince as a drama is becoming an actual show

Classic 90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is being rebooted as a drama for streaming service Peacock, its original star Will Smith has announced on YouTube. The new version, titled Bel-Air, is based on a viral trailer released last year which was a dramatic reimagining of Will’s journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the mansions of Bel-Air. The series is coming in 2021, according to its announcement video.

Deadline reports that Bel-Air became the focus of a bidding war last month, with Netflix and Peacock emerging as the two frontrunners. Peacock has ordered two seasons of the reboot, in a deal that Will Smith called “unprecedented.”

“I’ve been in this business for thirty years and that does not happen,” Smith said. The...

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